Foam roller, or a helper not only for your regeneration!

In several of our articles we have already mentioned something called a foam roller. Don't you know what a foam roller is or how to use this useful tool? Let's introduce this small, inconspicuous but very useful helper.

Article content:

• What exactly is the foam roller?
• Don't underestimate the choice of the right roller
• Watch out for the speed of the movement!
• Don't concentrate on just one spot.
• Correct posture is also the basis for rolling!
• Don't forget to breathe
• What can I take away from this article?

What is a foam roller?

Foam rolling has been really popular in recent years, and it is growing in popularity as many athletes, not only fitness enthusiasts, are discovering its positive effect on rehabilitation and recovery processes. Foam rolling is a great way to indulge in soft tissue massage (the so-called self-myofascial release (SMR) technique) and benefit from its effects without having to visit a masseur. But it certainly doesn't stop there, as foam rolling has many more benefits.

With this aid you can also work on your flexibility, body stabilisation, mobility and it can help you increase your range of motion, which can make a noticeable improvement in your sports performance. In addition, foam rolling increases blood flow and oxygen and also has an effect on skin elasticity, so it can also help you in a small way to fight cellulite. The SMR technique is very effective in fighting pain, so performing foam rolling can help you to eliminate pain in your back muscles, legs and other muscle areas.

Foam roller is a tool that you can use both in the pre-workout phase to prepare your muscles for the load, and as an aid to start the recovery process after the workout is over. Foam roller is also a tool that will help you to relax and feel mentally well after a hard day (meaning not only after the workout). But be warned, even when it comes to foam rolling there are a few principles you should stick to. Let's take a look at the most common mistakes regarding the use of this handy tool.

Don't underestimate choosing the right roller

If you decide to buy and use a foam roller, don't rush into investing in the first one you find, but choose the RIGHT one. There are a number of different options, both in terms of the size of the roller and the width and hardness that each type has.

Beginners to rolling should definitely use a softer roller, until their body gets used to this rather specific motion. Once you feel that your body is sufficiently adapted to this type, you can move on to harder rollers, or look for a roller that has bumps on the surface. These types are unquestionably very useful for many athletes, but they are quite aggressive and could therefore do more harm than good in the case of beginners.

The hardness of the roller is not the only aspect that you should take into consideration when choosing one. If you want to use the roller to massage larger muscle areas, such as the back or hamstrings, look for a tool with a larger diameter so that you are able to apply enough pressure to massage these parts of the body for the massage to be effective at all. On the other hand, smaller diameter rollers are logically very suitable for massaging smaller muscle areas. It is also advisable to use a massage ball, which is made of the same material as the rollers but is round in shape, to massage hard to reach areas that are too large and bulky for a foam roller.

Surely you understand that there is no roller like a roller. Choosing the right roller should not be an underestimated part. Ideally, it is better to have one roller with a higher hardness and diameter for larger areas and one smaller one with a lower density for massaging smaller muscle areas.

Watch out for the speed of the movement!

When you go for a massage, the therapist also doesn't perform the movements quickly and hastily, so why should we do that with the self-massage technique? There's a compelling and very sound reason why massage therapists go slow when performing a massage, so let's take a cue from them, and even take the time to perform the rolling slowly and with enough care.

A lot of people tend to rush and move quickly when scrolling because scrolling can be quite painful, so they want to get it over with as quickly as possible. This is a mistake! The more sore the area is, the more time you need to spend rolling it to get it to relax. The main purpose of using foam rollers is to loosen tight and stiff fascia around muscle cells. However, this process takes its time! If you rush too much while performing the movement, blood flow may only increase marginally, so actually the body is unable to reap the maximum benefits the roller offers, including relaxing the fascia, a necessary process for pain relief. However, on the other hand, it's not a good idea to overdo it, spend too much time rolling and perform it too intensely. This could lead to a prolonged recovery time and an increase in the soreness of the area.

The point of the message is to take time to roll, perform it in calm and deliberate smooth movements. If you can't make it after your workout, that's okay! Save your rolling for maybe an evening at home in front of the TV, or just for that moment. When you have enough time for this activity.

Don't focus on just one place.

Another very common mistake that roller users make is that they only massage a single sore area. For example, after a leg workout, you roll your quadriceps, but only the lower part because that's the one that hurts the most and you neglect the rest. You really need to watch out for that! As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, if you massage the sore area for too long or with excessive intensity, you can very easily increase the pain and prolong the time needed for recovery. In the worst cases, bruising or contusions can occur .

There is also the possibility that the pain you feel in one place actually originates elsewhere. This is called referred pain. So, for example, if your hamstrings hurt and you are trying to "roll it out" with a roller, the source of the pain may be your lower back or buttock muscles. If you roll the hamstrings from only one angle, you may exacerbate the pain and increase the time it takes for the pain to recover and go away. You may even be surprised at how many muscle parts there are around the one that's bothering you, so it 's definitely a good idea to take more comprehensive care around the area you're trying to loosen and not just focus on one part, but the ones surrounding it.

Proper posture is essential for rolling as well!

And again we come to the key point - you can really hurt yourself with poor rolling technique! Poor rolling form is a guaranteed way to degrade the positive effects of this method and can eventually lead to injury. Always focus on keeping your body in the correct position. It's not just about "somehow rolling on it" this method also has rules and proper technique. Keep your body in as balanced a position as possible. If yousomehow twist or exert excessive pressure due to not being able to maintain the correct body position, you may even hurt yourself. When you start to fall off the roller, slip, stop the movement, straighten up and start again to really be in that optimal position.

Don't forget to breathe

The last thing you should focus on during rolling is your breathing. This is a very important part of EVERY MOVEMENT and it is no different when stretching. Breathing prevents your muscles from contracting and limits your range of motion, which is why it's so important during stretching and yoga. Proper breathing during rolling, is very important to allow the muscles to relax. Holding your breath is a common automatic response when you feel pain, but if you practice this while rolling, you probably won't be able to take full advantage of the potential and benefits this method offers for releasing sore and tight muscles. Focus on regular inhalations and exhalations while you are performing the roller massage. Once you are breathing properly, you will find that rolling is not as painful and leads to better results.

What to take away from the article?

Those who have experienced the magic of foam rolling will know that this technique can be quite painful, but it is definitely worth it. In order to make the most out of rolling and reduce the painful effects, today we have defined some principles that you should honor while performing this massage technique and if you are just about to get a roller, we have advised you on what to look for when choosing one and what to look out for when starting out with this technique.

The roller is a great tool, but you need to know how to use it! It is very important to focus on breathing and holding the correct body position so that the rolling method can be considered safe and effective. By learning how to eliminate the mistakes we mentioned in the article, you will minimize the time it takes to recover your muscles and enjoy all the benefits this method has to offer. Learn to use it to its full potential - there are many positions, you can use it lengthwise to perfectly stretch your spine, and you can even use it as a strengthening tool.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242954/
https://www.minervamedica.it/en/journals/sports-med-physical-fitness/article.php?cod=R40Y2017N07A0993
https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00124278-201401000-00008
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2013/03000/An_Acute_Bout_of_Self_Myofascial_Release_Increases.34.aspx
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831860/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25883869
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4299735/
https://www.healthline.com/health/foam-roller-benefits#takeaway